Don't have HBO? You can watch the first episode of Westworld online for free

We already know HBO’s ambitious sci-fi series Westworld is a hit, but even if you don’t have the pay cable service, there’s no reason to be left out of the zeitgeist.

To help build some additional buzz for the project, HBO has released the pilot episode online so all you penny-pinchers without HBO can check it out. The series debuted to a total of 3.3 million viewers across platforms, and we’d imagine that number will only be climbing once you factor in the folks who check it out for free. Considering how much trouble HBO has had with pirating when it comes to Game of Thrones, releasing the Westworld debut online through legit channels is a savvy mood.

The pilot was excellent, by the way, and set a lot of stories in motion that should be fascinating to explore throughout the first season. The series is asking big questions about humanity, AI and human depravity — all wrapped up in a crazy-cool wild west setting that makes it both surreal and weirdly humanizing.